Purpose
Readers' advisory can be a difficult task for librarians who are unfamiliar with certain types of fiction. Fantasy is one of those genres that many people find uncomfortable to work with, due to the elaborate world-building, extended length of series, and the obsessive glint in a fan's eye when asking reference questions about the Elfish languages used in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series or begging to know when George R.R. Martin will release a new book. In order to raise the comfort level of librarians who find themselves in these situations, I have created this blog which outlines the basics of the genre and provides information about additional resources for all your fantasy fiction needs.
Organization
Please use the tabs in the menu bar above to navigate this site. Tabs include:
Genre Basics - Fantasy 101! This covers the basics of the genre including definitions, characteristics, and appeal.
Sub-Genres - A list of some of the fantasy sub-genres as well as essential authors and titles in each.
Recommended Titles - An annotated bibliography of popular fantasy titles that epitomize various sub-genres.
Quotations - A few quotes that validate and exemplify the fantasy genre.
Resources - A list of print as well as online resources with additional information about the fantasy genre.
References Cited - Works cited throughout this blog.
Audience
This blog is intended primarily for librarians and educators who assist fantasy enthusiasts with finding that next good book to read. Causal browsers may also benefit, however, from the information provided on this site.
Authority
As a student at the University of Arizona's School of Information Resources and Library Science I have studied readers' advisory and other topics in order to acquire my masters degree in Library and Information Science. Additionally I have worked as a Reference Assistant answering readers' advisory questions in public libraries over the last five years.
